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Free Trial for Academic and Government Entities from Weblopedia Cloud Solutions and Steele Cloud Server Hosting

We are excited to announce a Virtual Server Free Trial, available through Weblopedia Cloud Solutions, and Steele Cloud Server Hosting. This is a thirty-day, payment-free trial period which gives full access to any of the Virtual Servers we currently offer, including our latest eLearning/Sakai-based server. Details and conditions are available below. If you have any questions, please contact us. Thank you!

Free Trial FAQ

Q: Who qualifies for a Free Trial Virtual Server?

A: Anyone who represents an academic or government entity. Examples: city and county-managed school districts, private schools, law enforcement agencies, and utilities-based entities. The PoC (Point of Contact) must be directly affiliated with the entity, meaning third-party representatives do not qualify as a PoC.

Q: I noticed there are two companies mentioned here, which company is hosting the free trial?

Q: Which Virtual Servers are eligible for the Free Trial?

Q: How do I order a Free Trial Virtual Server?

A: Please use our contact form. You may include specific details, if you know exactly which Virtual Server you're interested in trying. If you require assistance, please state this in your message. Finally, if you prefer a phone conversation first, you're certainly welcome to call us directly at: 720-549-0442.

Q: Will I be subscribed to a newsletter or mailing list? How often will I be contacted?

A: You will not be added to a mailing list; we don't have a newsletter or mailing list/listserv. If we initiated contact about this free trial, it was due to a previous event (e-mail exchange, RFP/RFI/RFQ response) related to this trial, and you will receive no further contact. Once your free trial begins, we will only contact you when:

Your free trial has expired and the Virtual Server has been deactivated

No further contact will be made unless you specifically request it.

Q: Does the Free Trial require a credit card?

A: No. We simply need a qualified PoC (see above).

Q: I'm interested in your eLearning Virtual Server, but I have questions. Are you qualified to answer them?

A: Absolutely, we have eLearning system experience and can answer usage and content creation questions. Prof. Eric Faust has worked with Sakai at the University of Michigan, and lectured online, undergraduate Computer Science courses since 2014.

Q: How long will the Free Trial last?

A: We will accept orders until April 15th, 2017. The trial period will last for thirty days from the date the Virtual Server has been deployed.

Q: Where can I find more details about the Virtual Servers?

Q: Are there any restrictions during the Free Trial period?

A: The Steele Cloud Server Hosting EULA terms apply. Also, there is one technical difference: a custom IPv4 address is not provided with the Free Trial Virtual Server, only with the standard/paid Virtual Servers. This means that all access to services on the Virtual Server, such as Remote Desktop, SSH (Linux-only), and Website (should you decide to host one), will use our local proxy pointed to your Virtual Server, rather than using a unique IP address. If you decide to host a public-facing website during the free trial, simply contact us so we can configure our systems accordingly. If this isn't clear or you have more questions about how this works, contact us!

Q: What are the additional services provided with the Free Trial Virtual Servers?

A: We can provide DNS and web proxy services at no charge (these services are available through a standard/paid Virtual Server as well). You are required to register your own domain and configure it to use our DNS servers. When you are ready, simply contact us and we will configure our servers to point domain-based requests to your Virtual Server.

Q: How many websites can I serve with one Virtual Server?

A: There is no theoretical limit, so the number of websites possible is restricted by the capacity of the server (e.g. storage, connection bandwidth). We offer proxy services (see above), which helps simplify the support of multiple domains and sub-domains. Also, modern web servers such as Apache, nginx, and IIS all support virtual domains, which allows easy sharing of a single IP address for multiple (sub-)domains. Website middleware such as Drupal is easily configured to support several websites on a single Virtual Server. In conclusion: this is a technical issue, which is easily (and inexpensively) addressed.

Q: What if I have questions or need assistance during the trial period?

A: Sakai is a very stable, well-supported eLearning platform, and several universities run on it. It's well-documented, can be enhanced via modules/add-ons, and customization is possible due to its Java/Open Source distribution. Compared to similar, free eLearning systems, Sakai and its distributed ownership model is the least likely to be acquired by a commercial entity (i.e. it is unlikely that your time investment in this free offering would eventually require a payment). It is a good, long-term investment for your eLearning course development and materials efforts.